Fans allowed at World Snooker Championship in Sheffield in one of UK’s first spectator trials

The tournament, which is due to get underway at The Crucible on July 31, will be one of the first sporting events in the UK to have fans present since the lockdown began.

It is one of a handful of pilot events due to take place in front of an audience as the Government plans for the widespread return of spectators to sports grounds, with social distancing measures in place, by October.

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The Glorious Goodwood horse racing festival on August 1 and two county cricket matches, possibly including Surrey v Middlesex at The Oval on July 26-27, are the others.

To date, sporting events including snooker and Premier League matches have only been allowed to take place behind closed doors in an attempt to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Further test events are planned in preparation for the full return of fans to sporting events from October 1, but the Government said it would be ‘some time’ before venues are full to capacity.

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Ticket holders for the World Snooker Championship, which was originally scheduled to take place in April, had been told to register their interest in attending should fans be allowed, though they have also been offered the option of a full refund or transferring their ticket to next year’s tournament.

Sheffield Council has already said there will be no big screen outside the venue in Tudor Square, nor will the BBC’s Cue Zone be open to spectators as usual in the Winter Garden.

The Government says that before any tickets are purchased spectators must be given details of the steps being taken to minimise the risk of Covid-19, including any modifications to the venue.

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Spectators must agree to a new code of behaviour, social distancing should be observed in the seating layout, a crowd management plan musy be in place, fans should be supported to avoid public transport and additional hand washing facilities or sanitising stations should be available, the conditions stipulate.